About

The RAFINO - Coffee Grind Refining System

CA$ 158,368

pledged of CA$ 55,000 goal

1,556

backers

"...some of the world’s leading baristas, including Ben Kaminsky and Matt Perger, have advocated sieving coffee grinds to isolate only very most consistently-sized particles for an exacting extraction.
A new product called the Rafino is on its way to market with the goal of conveniently putting that power of precision into literally anyone’s hands." - Howard Bryman, Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine

“I've wondered what the best way to communicate grind size is, and there's never been a great way. Now there is. This could change the way coffee people exchange recipes. Having specific numbers to communicate has never been an option before. My mind is basically blown.” - Garrett
Oden, Coffee Brew Guides

"It’s a brilliant idea to get a more consistent cup of coffee and be able to sort the grind level.” - Single Serve Coffee

"A group of grinder owners can now compare the optimal grind size for a particular brew (actually making apple to apple comparison, rather than comparing 1 notch from zero, 2 notch from zero etc)” - Samuel

"Wastage, isn't really a significant issue, as you can control it. Besides, every cup of coffee I have, that isn't as good as it can be, feels like a waste.” - MWJB

“I must say it looks like an innovative yet simple idea. The chaps look as though they certainly have a passion for what they are doing, that’s for sure.” - Toby

Interested in seeing how the RAFINO fits into your morning coffee ritual? Here is a short uncut video illustrating how quick and easy it is to incorporate the Rafino (Hint: It's less than the time it takes for the water to boil):

Fines refer to super finely crushed coffee particles that have the consistency of powder. Fines are unfortunately created by even the best grinders on the market. When brewing, these unwanted fines over-extract, giving your coffee a bitter flavour.

UNDER A MICROSCOPE:

Fines - As seen under a microscope

Boulders are particles that are larger than your desired grind size. These boulders negatively impact the taste of your coffee because an under-extracted particle releases sour flavors.

The RAFINO's patent-pending sieve system removes both Fines and Boulders, leaving you with just the grind you need to make a great tasting coffee.

Separating Your Grinds with Micron-Level Precision

The RAFINO gives you full control over your grind size. With the RAFINO, you can customize your coffee recipe down to a precise micron range. Use only the grinds you want! Nothing bigger, and nothing smaller, e.g. 400-800μm, 500-700μm.

The sieves give you full control over your grind and let you specify the appropriate grind size, down to the micron...

Refined Grinds of Various Sizes

Many factors can affect the flavor of your coffee, such as the roast, grind size, water temperature, coffee-to-water ratio, extraction time, and so on. Of all the variables we studied, we found that few impacted flavor as much as grind consistency.

When brewing coffee, you want every particle to be the same size so that you can get an even extraction. When you have an uneven grind, the large pieces get under-extracted while the small particles get over-extracted, giving your coffee an unwanted bitter flavor.

Don't throw out those grinds! Boulders can be put back in your grinder and be re-ground and unwanted fines can be re-purposed in a variety of ways. For example, you can use them in baking, cooking, cleaning, or even gardening. The grinds are also biodegradable, so if need be, can go in the compost bin.

The great thing about the RAFINO is that it will help you calibrate your grinder and minimize excess. For example, if you make a coffee every day for a week you will accumulate about 10g of excess coffee, that’s about the weight of a tablespoon of sugar.

Most importantly, if you geek out about coffee like we do, then you will care about the details. We spend time, money, and effort getting the right flavour because that's what matters most. To us, every cup of coffee that isn't made as good as it can be is a waste.

As any wise chef will tell you, if you want a perfectly cooked meal, you must chop your ingredients in equal sizes. A mix of sizes means the larger pieces will be under-cooked and the smaller pieces will be over-cooked or burnt. Your coffee grind is no different.

Evenly Chopped Food = Evenly Cooked Meal

If you're serious about coffee, you have to be serious about consistency and with the RAFINO, No matter what micron range you select, you can be assured the grounds will be consistent. Consistent grinds allow for an incredibly even extraction, and in turn, an incredibly rich flavor.

Award-winning Barista Champion Matt Perger has written extensively about the importance of getting an even extraction. He even wrote a blog about consistency titled, "The Most Important Thing About Brewing Coffee".

Don't ruin a good roast with a bad brew. If you are investing your time and money to get things just right, then you cannot afford to overlook consistency. Don't take our word for it. We interviewed award-winning roaster Geoff Polci. Watch the full video interview here:

The problem with grinders is they can adjust grind size, but not grind consistency. When coffee is ground in even the best ceramic burr grinders, the beans do not crack or grind evenly. In fact, they shatter like glass into thousands of pieces, both big and small.

Results from a high quality grinder

Another important point is that grinders use arbitrary dials that don’t correspond to any fixed size. The RAFINO gives you full control of your grind range via precision-made, interchangeable sieves of fixed sizes.

By no means, does the RAFINO replace your grinder. In fact, using the the RAFINO's patent-pending sieve system helps you to calibrate your grinder.

You might have a certain brew method and/or coffee recipe that calls for a particular grind range. Maybe you prefer to create or refine your own recipe? With the RAFINO, anything is possible.

No matter what grind size a brew method calls for, the RAFINO will give you that exact size. Nothing bigger, and more importantly, nothing smaller. You get a truly even grind within your desired micron range.

The RAFINO works great with Cold Brew, Drip, Pour Over, Press, Stove-top Coffee, Espresso, and many others!

The RAFINO improves your grind, no matter the brew method

We have used many of the best grinders on the market, yet we were never quite satisfied with the consistency they delivered, especially at the coarser settings. From there, we began our search for something better. We started experimenting with industrial-grade hand-held sieves (typically used to measure particle distribution in laboratory settings). We tried pouring our coffee grounds in those massive sieves and we were blown away by the results. It didn't take long before we were slamming coffee cups on the counter, challenging each other to side-by-side taste tests.

Next, we started blind taste-testing our friends and lo and behold, the pattern continued. The refined coffee won over and over again! We could not believe what we were seeing or tasting.

So, after a lot of ideation and brainstorming, we created a crude prototype of the RAFINO. We have been using it for the last 8 months and we all agree that we cannot go back to an unrefined cup of coffee!

In designing the RAFINO, we all agreed, the product would only be right if it could live as a luxury counter-top companion, complementing your grinder, and fitting seamlessly into a coffee-lover’s daily ritual. So, we worked hard to ensure the RAFINO was both beautiful and functional.

After dozens of design iterations and prototypes, we arrived at the final patent-pending design. The product embodies a clean and elegant form factor and follows the natural motion of your wrist, maximizing its effectiveness.

While many commercial sieves are round, the RAFINO's body is tapered to allow for easy pouring. The lid is made of a durable bamboo material that can double as a cup coaster.

It is also incredible easy to clean. A quick rinse under the sink is all you need. It is also easy to store. The Rafino containers easily nest within each other, but considering it's sleek design lines, you likely won't want to hide it away anyway.

The RAFINO is made from a food-grade Aluminum. The main body of the RAFINO is stamped to ensure each piece is identical.

The interchangeable sieves are made using a special photo-etching process that lets us achieve tolerances down to 1 micron!

Our design is finished and our suppliers are ready. All the money raised will go towards tooling and the first batch of production to make sure we can get the RAFINO in your hands as soon as possible.

By backing our project, you will be one of the first to taste coffee the way it was meant to taste. You will have full control over your grind and the flexibility to try new recipes or even create your own! You will also be taking advantage of a special discounted price that you may never see in stores.

To experience great tasting coffee, you have to start with a great freshly roasted bean. Try award-winning coffee from Propeller Coffee Company, the 2016 Roast Magazine micro roaster of the year. We worked with Geoff Polci, co-owner of Propeller Coffee to give our Canadian and American backers the opportunity to try some of the best coffee in the world. Add $15 to your pledge and we will send you an 8oz bag of Propeller Coffee so that you can try it with your Rafino.

Adam, Mark, Marek, Karol

The team behind the RAFINO is comprised of engineers, product developers, designers, marketing specialists, and entrepreneurs. We have proven experience working for fortune 500 companies developing products and services and have a successful track record bringing our own products to market. We have a great respect for design and enjoy creating products that enrich people's lives. Most importantly, we are all great friends that love working together. It is our hope that you will love the RAFINO as much as we do.

We could not have done this without the love and support of our family and friends! Thank you for your time and patience. Whether acting as our caffeinated guinea pigs, focus groups, or just soundboards, your feedback has been invaluable.

Risks and challenges

At this stage, there are few risks to delivering a fantastic product. We have our manufacturers on standby, ready to place the first order. Our biggest challenge will be raising the funds so that we can place a large enough order to deliver the Rafino at a great price without sacrificing quality. As with any new product being brought to market, there may be unforeseen circumstances that could cause problems or delays. However, with our extensive experience bringing products to market, we feel confident that we will be able to overcome any obstacles that come our way and deliver a product that you will love and use every day.